Few alumni have given more in both service and support to their alma mater than Peter F. Karches (B’74), who died of leukemia in 2006, and his wife, Susan Karches (C’74). Peter Karches served on the board of the McDonough School of Business, the Board of Regents and the Board of Directors. He was also a member of the Wall Street Alliance.
His generosity inspired not only his peers but members of his children’s generation as well, including Taylor Price (B’10) and Matthew McBride (C’08), two classmates of his son Peter (C’08). Seeking a way to honor Karches, Price and McBride spearheaded a fundraising effort among fellow students to initiate the Peter F. Karches Scholarship.
Susan Karches and others have added to the fund over time, bringing the value to more than $5 million.
Michael Rankowitz worked with Peter Karches at Morgan Stanley for more than 20 years. When Rankowitz and his wife, Sheila, joined the Hoya community as parents of Colin (C’11) and Ian (C’15), they joined the cause, adding generously to the scholarship endowment, enabling the fund to increase the number of full-need scholarships. “It was an easy decision to support the scholarship and it’s a very appropriate way to honor Peter,” Rankowitz said.
There are currently 11 Peter F. Karches Scholarship recipients at Georgetown. “These are impressive young people who just need the opportunity,” Susan Karches said of the scholarship recipients.
“I know they will give back throughout their lives—they’ll be men and women for others,” she added. “I can’t think of a better way to honor Peter. Nothing would have made him happier.”
To read the article online, visit: http://giving.georgetown.edu/story/karches